Major events such as the Aloha Festivals, the Honolulu Marathon and the Pro Bowl Block Party are good for Waikiki because they attract visitors and improve quality of life for kamaaina, according to 85.6 percent of respondents in a recent survey.

The survey was taken by more than 400 attendees at the Waikiki 20/20 Conference at the Hawai‘i Convention Center in October and will be used to help come up with goals for the next 20 years for the state’s largest tourist destination.

About 7 percent of survey respondents said major events in Waikiki that cause road closures lead to more disruption to commerce and daily life than they are worth.

Results from the survey indicate a majority support growth of tourism and significant outlays to improve the district’s public spaces and infrastructure.

Waikiki Improvement Association President Rick Egged, who spearheaded the Waikiki 20/20 Conference last year, said the survey results and other suggestions that came from the event will be discussed further at the first of several monthly forums to be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Jan. 22 at the Waikiki Community Center, at 310 Paoakalani Ave.

"The event is open to all," Egged said. "We will be using the opinions that we get to develop a 20-year plan for the region. We hope to have a plan, which addresses topics ranging from beach restoration to residential and business development, the tourism industry, homelessness and crime to public health and energy, before the end of the year." 

The future of Waikiki, which contributes 36.3 percent of all visitor units in the state, supports 40,000 jobs for residents, receives nearly 90,000 visitors each day and is the place that more than 20,000 local people call home, is critical to the entire state, Egged said. Input at the monthly forums will be used to supplement research that was presented at the conference and survey results.

During the past decade, Egged said, the city has spent $100 million improving Waikiki’s public spaces and infrastructure and the private sector has spent $3 billion on upgrades. Of those responding to the survey, 75.9 percent said this spending was a good investment of tax dollars and would enlarge the tax base. Only 17.1 percent said it was too much of an outlay for such a small part of Oahu and another 6 percent gave answers outside these parameters.

A full 93.4 percent of those surveyed said they support regular state maintenance of the beach and beach walls. Only 1.9 percent said no work should be done on Waikiki Beach and 4.7 percent had other opinions.

Respondents were more split on whether the trend of losing some traditional hotel rooms to time-share and condominium hotel units was good for Waikiki. Some 57.6 percent said the trend was good for Waikiki because it creates units that meet market demand while 35.7 percent said the trend was bad because it could lead to fewer visitors and hotel-related jobs. Nearly 7 percent of those surveyed did not support either position.

As many as 81.8 percent of survey takers supported a circulator bus and improvements to pedestrian and bike pathways for Waikiki while 13.5 percent said these suggestions could increase congestion and discourage vehicle access to Waikiki. Some 4.7 percent of respondents took neither position.

A large-scale project like sea-water air-conditioning should be built in Waikiki to reduce fossil fuel consumption and save money, according to 80.5 percent of respondents. However, 11.7 percent said a pipeline could cause environmental problems and would be an economic failure. Nearly 8 percent of respondents disagreed with either statement.

More than half, or 54.10 percent, of survey takers supported new initiatives to house the homeless; however, 24.7 percent said the government cannot afford to take care of the homeless, recommending that they not be allowed to live in public places and their care be left to faith-based providers. Just over 21 percent took a variety of other positions.